Car Seat Woes
Moms View Message Board: Parenting Discussion: Archive July-December 2004:
Car Seat Woes
A while back I mentioned that my dd was about to outgrow her booster seat. She is 8 and is in a highback booster. She hates that all the kids laugh at her b/c even though they should be, are not in a booster anymore. I bought a sit on type for the truck b/c it has headrests but the van does not.
Anyway, I thought I'd call around today to try to find headrests for the van. The holes are there but my van never came with them. Anyway, it's a 1997 and the auto salvage places don't sell headrests separately...you have to buy the whole seat. I called the dealer and they want....are you ready?????
$429 EACH PLUS TAX
for a headrest! I thought I would want 2. My van isn't worth more than $3000 probably and they want almost $1000 for 2 headrests.
What am I going to do????????????
WOW! That's absolutely ridiculous! What are the child restraint laws in your province? Have you tried the 5 Step Test to see if your DD passes?
1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right for the best crash protection.
*If* your DD passes the 5 Step Test and her ears don't come over the back of the vehicle seat she should be OK. That is, as long as it's legal in your province for her to ride without a booster.
Other than buying the head rests, or a newer vehicle (which obviously would be more costly) I'm not sure what to tell you. Why didn't your van come with head rests? That's odd. It's not safe for anyone to ride without head support. Head rests prevent/reduce chances of whiplash and head/neck injuries.
Can you check a junk yard for a van the same year as yours? You could probably find one with headrest and get them used for a fraction of the cost of new headrests. Just a thought.
I guess I missed the part on your post about the salvage yards. Sorry!
What is the make & model? Have you checked on line?
Oh my heck! That is a ridiculous price. How much is the entire seat at the salvage yard? Maybe that would be a better route to go. I'm sure it's a lot cheaper $400+ 
My oldest DD is 6, and she is one of the only ones her age still riding in a carseat (booster actually). She hasn't complained yet. But, I'm sure once we get back to school, and the other kids start mentioning it, that we will have problems as well.
Good for you Robin, for keeping your 6 yr. old DD in a booster! My DS will be turning 8 next week, is entering Gr. 3 and still in a booster. In fact, he will be for a loooong time yet. He has NO problems with it either, thanks to his Mom being a CPS Tech. My 6 yr. old DD *just* graduated from a harnessed car seat to a booster recently. She just barely 40 lbs., finally! Woo hoo!
Paula, have you checked ebay??
Check the junk yards. In this area if you tell them specifically what you want sometimes they will keep you on a list and call you if a car comes in. When I needed a new tail light assembly for my car I checked on the internet, listing the part, car model & year, and adding +used. I was able to get the assembly for $49, about 40% of what my mechanic said he would have to charge me, so all I paid was the installation.
My son was able to find courtesy light switches for me (the ones in the frame, where opening the door turns on the courtesy light) at a junk yard - $5.00 the pair but he had to take them out of the junk car himself.
I've checked all the junk yards in the phone book within a 6 hour radius. The problem is they don't want to sell the headrests separately. The entire seat cost $500 which would include 2 headrests (half the price of the dealer) but still beyond my price range.
I did check ebay. I saw one there for a 2001 Ford Windstar. I wonder if there is much difference. I have a 1997 Dodge Caravan (not grand) with bench seats in the middle and rear. It is gray interior but I would take purple if I could find it.
Please keep your eye out.
My DD is also entering grade 3. She is currently in a high back booster in the van but is really too big for it, both weight and height but it is better than the alternative right now. In our truck she sits in the booster that doesn't have a high back but we have headrests there. She is actually pretty good about sitting in it. She only complains when we have a friend in the car with us since most of her freinds weigh less and are smaller than her. When it's just us she never complains.
In the van she actually passes the 5 step test you gave me Trina but without headrest I can't take her out of her booster.
Did you know that, in Canada anyway, Dodge trucks did not have headrests until 2004 models. We were looking at a used 2003 with only 9000km and it didn't have headrests. I called a dealer and was told that Dodge didnt' put them in until this year. We were looking at a Crew Cab (full four doors). I was shocked that the sales man also said that in all his years of selling these things no one had ever mentioned it. Can you believe it??? Needless to say, we did not purchase that truck.
Question...DD is 8 and weighs 60-65 pounds. I know she shouldn't be in the front seat b/c of the air bags. Is it safer do you think for her to be in the front with the airbags than it is in the back with no headrest. I know I can get boosters that are good to 100 pounds. DS's carseat is good to 100 pounds but it is no taller so her ears are still at the top.
This is the one on ebay. What do you think???
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7914822966&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT
Paula, how tall is your DD? I think the best bet, for now until your headrest dilemma is solved, is to get your DD a new high back booster with higher height and weight limits.
I'm going to do some research and will be back.
Paula, Keep an eye on this thread (link below). I've also presented your situation on a CPS listserve I'm on and will keep you posted on the replies.
One of the CPS Techs found a bench seat with headrests on ebay.
Canadian CPS Dilemma
Paula, please e-mail me: trina.gagne @ comcast.net. I have some information for you.
Trina...just to clarify...I checked your link above....
Dodge DID have headrests in vans before 2004. It was their trucks that didn't have headrests.
Our van is very basic and just didn't come with them. Dodge does some interesting things to cut costs. For instance, if you look at a 2003 Dodge Quad Cab you will notice that it also doesn't have an outside key entry on the passanger side. The drive must open the passanger door using auto locks or lean over and open the passanger door. Just a small thing but I'm sure they saved tons of money by leaving that out.
Trina!
I am so excited that someone on that link found some of ebay. They are way better at searching than I am.
Do you think headrests for a voyager would fit my van?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7914755237
Call the car company and ask if they fit.
The dealership should know too.
I mean the dealership service department should know. Pretend you have them and you want them to install them.
I called and they told me they should fit. Keep your fingers crossed and Trina...please thank your friend for finding the auction for me.
Will do! Have you been watching the Car Seats board (link above)? There were more ebay links posted last I checked.
|
Members
